Round Peg in a Square Hole
by Sakate
Summary: Simon goes to desperate lengths to pay for the medication necessary to treat his sister. Takes place before Ariel, sometime after or around shindig diverging into AU from there. Simon!whump, turns into eventual slash, pairing TBD.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

Hey all – just a beginner, so try to go easy on me. I love Simon slash fics, especially Mal/Simon or Jayne/Simon, and this is partially in homage/inspired from a fanfiction author named Juli, who wrote a one-chapter fic on Simon struggling with fitting in and a spring in his mattress, the poor baby. Her work is awesome (pm if you want a link to her site), and hopefully this will be my own version and extension of some of her ideas.

Definitely gonna be AU diverging from some point before Ariel. I may work in aspects of Safe/Ariel into the story later on, but it's definitely not going to be canon and or missing obscure little details so no complaints! My writing, my artistic liberty, mwahaha! Of course, general critic is always welcome. Flamers will burst into little poofs of sunshine and rainbows.

I will take suggestions for shipping, because I'm not sure exactly where this story is going to wind up. Just enjoying writing something un-science/research related.

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"meimei...River! You need to take your meds -"

Simon grunted as River squirmed and struggled, escaping his grasp with one last frenzied kick and an elbow into his solar plexus.

CRASH

Simon stopped his attempts to restrain his sister, gazing down at the shattered syringe on the floor.

"Won't do it – not helping!" River shouted, eyes glistening in frustration as she stood in the corner of the infirmary. "You said it was time to wake up, but you're the one stuck in the dream. Your hands are staining blue, just want the pretty dancing doll, but don't know how to make the glue to stick the pieces back together."

"What is going on in here?"

Simon turned to see Mal standing at the infirmary's entrance, frowning at the mess of equipment and the broken shards of glass on the floor. River took Simon's temporary distraction to skirt around the glass and Mal, quickly disappearing. Simon sighed in frustration, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off the headache growing quickly at his temples.

"I'm sorry, River -"

"Apologies won't replace all the equipment and supplies you seem to have broken or wasted in the short few months you've been on my boat." Mal crossed his arms and leaned forward. "Your sister is your responsibility, son. Now I've gone out of my way to help you two to remain out of the Alliance's reach, let your stay on my ship, but it won't be at the cost of my crew. What happens if one of them gets injured in the next job, and we ain't got no supplies to patch them up because your sister seems determined to escape you?"

Simon's frustration peaked, his voice rising with each sentence. "I can't help figure out what's wrong with River if I have no medical supplies either! You haven't landed a job in months, I can't buy replacement medical supplies for the infirmary with no mone-"

Mal matched his raised volume, barking back at him. "You're not crew, and you don't get paid whether we have a job or not! I'm letting you and your sister stay on this damn boat in exchange for your medical skills, and MY money is not gonna be spent on supplies that are wasted because you can't keep the girl under control."

Simon flinched, backing down at the captain's angry words. He continued, seeing that he had taken control over the argument. "Persephone's our next stop. You broke it, you bought it – I expect to see those supplies replaced, no more excuses. Don't matter much how you do it, we'll be there for a few days. Maybe barter some of your doctoring skills to them that need it, but you'll do it with none of our remaining supplies, and the next time this happens, you'll not like the consequences. Dong ma?"

Simon nodded, head down.

Mal turned and strode out of the infirmary, leaving Simon to slowly sink to the ground, sitting on his heels and staring a hole into the ground. He had no money, having sacrificed everything he owned to rescue River from the Academy. If he couldn't use the ship's supplies, he very likely would be unable to treat anyone on Persephone for money, and if he risked trying a clinic, even a backwater one on the outskirts of Persephone, he might be identified and handed off to the Alliance. But he didn't bother explaining that to the Captain, not when it would only make things worse. He could try selling some of his clothes...what little he had brought with him, most was still in good condition, but it wouldn't cover the cost of replacing the supplies.

Simon sighed, standing back up and beginning to sort through the mess. He'd have to think of something soon – they were supposed to land in Persephone in two days.

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"No!"

"Meimei..."

Simon could feel his headache turn into a roaring migraine as he cornered his sister for the second time that day, this time in the corridor outside their rooms. As she lunged to get around him he managed to wrap an arm around her waist, finally raising the injector to her exposed shoulder. For his efforts, he was brutally kicked in the shin and knocked back into the base of a ladder, River darting away only to bump into the Shepard who had just stepped out of his room hearing the commotion. Book held her upright, stopping her own fall and keeping her from running for a third time.

Simon sat up, wincing in pain. "Thanks Shepard, I -"

"I think it's best you two were separated for a while, from the sound of things." Book commented, frowning down at the ruffled doctor sitting on the floor. His voice sounded mild, but when Simon met his gaze, his eyes were cold and his expression disappointed. River sniffled into his shoulder as he continued.

"I know you want to help your sister, but it might do you some good to stop being her doctor and start being her brother. You have a sharp mind, son, but you got to learn to handle things a mite gentler. That sharp tongue of yours has already hurt Kaylee. It seems to me you could stand to shed some of that core-bred pride and stop looking down at folks and expecting them to always see things your way. You do that, and maybe you'd see your sister hurting from *your* actions."

Simon swallowed at the shepard's scolding tone, and the sight of his sister crying and comforted by someone else. "But I..."

"I'll look after her for the rest of the evening."

Giving in to defeat Simon nodded silently, and Book led River down the hall and out of sight. Alone and aching, the silence only added to his frustration and despair. As sounds of cooking and laughter began to emerge from the kitchen some time later, he couldn't bring himself to eat, instead getting up from the floor and moving into his room, curling up on the hard mattress. He didn't know what to do. It felt like from the moment he had stepped foot on the ship, everything he said either seemed to make people angry or hurt.

He had grown up on the core, a place that was supposed to be the definition of fine breeding and behavior, but everything he knew about how to act and what to say seemed to always be wrong. And once Kaylee had gotten over her crush and was offended not only by his words but his lack on interest, her anger had swayed Inara. Wash understood his occasional slip of the tongue and sarcastic wit that were mistaken as sharp barbs, but Zoe and Jayne were inherently mistrustful of anyone core-bred.

Now, to make things even worse, his failure to find a cure for his sister's fluctuating symptoms would get them both tossed off the ship. The chances of them getting lucky again and finding another ship or location safe from the reach of the Alliance was slim to none, and he had no doubts that the moment that happened, they wouldn't last a day before he lost her forever to the Alliance. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. As Simon drifted off to sleep, he promised himself that whatever it took, he'd find a way to keep the infirmary stocked...keep them on Serenity.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note:

Well I'm very touched by the fact that people reviewed (and enjoyed the first chapter)! I definitely wasn't expecting anybody to pay attention to this little fic, so thank you everyone – I'll try to do my best to keep it interesting and angsty but not too sappy, hahaha.

I want/am trying to portray the rest of the crew not as bad guys, per say...I was just always curious at how quickly Simon seemed to acclimate into the crew in the tv show and some of the scenes between Kaylee and Simon where his core-bred behavior got him into trouble. So this story is basically playing around with the "what if" scenario of the crew not being quite as accepting/understanding and fooling around with the mistrust the crew has for anything that comes out of the Core. They'll warm up to him eventually, never fear! There's just gonna be a little whump-action before that gets to happen.

Chapter 2:

Simon looked up as the ship jolted, Wash landing the Firefly into the crowded docks of Persephone. He smoothed a hand over a vest laid out on the bed. The blue and gold fabric was heavy, with a plain diamond crosshatch pattern that he had been told looked quite fetching on him. But such sentiments wouldn't keep him and River safe from the Alliance, and so it was carefully folded and stacked with the rest of his belongings he would be bartering, only keeping the bare necessities for life on the transport ship.

He would learn to give up his need for cleanliness. When baths were few and far between, a clean set of clothing had always been comforting – a reminder of a life he had left behind. What was one more thing, if it kept them safe? Just this one thing...

Resolved, Simon placed the clothes into a bag along with the few basic medical tools he could use without wasting the ship's remaining supplies or River's current treatment medication. He straightened, quickly heading for the cargo bay. At Simon's request, the shepherd had agreed to look after River during the day so he could leave the ship to try and replace the supplies. By the time he left the ship, the rest of the crew had already headed out to run errands and conduct their own business while Mal, Zoe, and Jayne set up the next job.

The city was bustling with activity, and Simon kept a mindful eye for Alliance or anyone who showed too keen of an interest in him as he walked. Despite the stubborn need driving his bargaining with shopkeepers, he was only able to get enough coin to cover a small portion of the costs to restock the infirmary. Speaking with one of the owners he had managed to ascertain that there were a few local clinics not run by the federation in the area, but because of the lack of support were not likely to be willing to pay for help, he suspected. He would still try, however, in the off-chance he would get lucky.

The first clinic was an immediate and absolute failure. Simon winced as he ducked into an alleyway, praying that no one had noticed and followed him. The chief physician had been polite but insistent.

"I'm sorry, but we can't hire you to work just for a couple days. There's paperwork and forms to submit to the federal board..."

"But you said you were extremely short-handed on staff...isn't there some sort of allowance for temporary staff to relieve the patient load?" Simon had pleaded, but he knew the answer before the physician even said it. Even if they did take him on, his fake ident cards did not carry his medical license; he wouldn't make it past the initial processing stage.

"I'm sorry, doctor Welson, I really am. If you were here for a a year, even a couple months we would take you on. But even though we're a small clinic we still report to the Alliance and comply under their regulations and policies. You understand?"

Simon nodded in defeat. "Yes, I know it was a lot to ask, I just...thank you for your time." As he left, he noticed a information board posted on the building next-door, a local supply store. His heart almost stopped as he glanced across it only to see a listing of federal warrants, two of which were of him and his sister. He had immediately panicked, ducking into a small, empty side street and walking as fast as he could until he could run without drawing attention to himself. If someone had seen him...he would have to try the outer areas of Persephone, where the Alliance had less control and thus fewer patrols who could potentially spot him.

The next clinic was nothing more than a shanty built of wreckage and ship parts, and the man running it shook his head at Simon's request. "...man with your look and skills, we couldn't afford you even for five minutes. These people barter goods if they got em', otherwise we do what we can; we can't pay you in anything except gratitude." He glanced at Simon over his shoulder as he picked up a little girl who he'd been examining and set her back down on the ground so she could scamper off to her mother, who was sitting a little bit away off to the side of the room. He nodded to them then turned to face Simon again.

"Look. You can try and approach people on the street, sell your skills as a doctor but it ain't gonna work unless you find a goodness to gracious need in some folk that need a doc and need them fast. Them as can pay, well, they'll head straight over to the nearest Alliance clinic. Those that can't who get hurt bad enough don't even bother trying. But you don't seem too keen to be anywhere near one of those fancier clinics, by the looks of it?"

Simon nodded.

"Seems to me, son, you may have to scrap the idea and look to what other skills you got. If you're as pressed for time as you say you are, then it don't really matter what the work is, as long as it pays."

The man reached a hand out to shake with Simon. Taking this as his dismissal from the clinic, Simon gave his thanks for the advice and walked out, feeling numb. Despite already having predicted this outcome, the hours wasted in attempting anyways weighed heavily on his mind. It was quickly turning into early evening...he would have to start heading back to Serenity soon, the journey out to the second clinic on the outskirts was far from the ports where they had landed, and he would have to skirt across the blackout zone to ensure he got back in time to give River her evening meds.

If she'd even take them. The last few days made him guilty; River was terrified of treatment after the time she had spent in the hands of the Alliance, but it was the only way he could try and stem the symptoms of psychosis so she could sleep and think without being battered by the thoughts and emotions of others.

As he passed through the darkening streets and alleyways, the city of Persephone was transforming itself from the day to day tasks of everyday folk to more illicit activities. Having been with Captain Reynolds and his crew even for a few weeks, Simon could pick out pockets of activity...a young boy, scruffy and gaunt eying a well-dressed couple walking down the street, his fingers twitching and eyes narrowed (potential pick-pocket victims). His guess was confirmed when another teen, slightly older but equally unkempt across the street made a subtle hand signal, and the two began to close in.

Down the next street, two men standing close to an unmarked entranceway traded money subtly through a handshake. As the doorway opened to allow the man in, Simon caught a glimpse of lights and music...a brothel. A private one, most likely quite shady to be so concealed. Unlike Inara and the companions guild, the poor men and women that were involved in such trade usually had no other option, having been sold into it or doing it simply as a means to survive.

He slowed, thinking. Companions were required to have annual check-ups for both their own safety and the safety of their clientèle. Brothels were independently run, so it depended on the owner, but the offer of medical exams and a seal of approval from a doctor might provide the ability to charge higher prices...it was an idea.

But one that would have to wait until the next day. With only three days left on Persephone (four if he was lucky, or if the crew was unlucky), this idea would have to work, otherwise he didn't want to think of the potential consequences if he failed.

End chapter


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for all the lovely reviews – I apologize (those of you who are still following) for the long absence of a new chapter. I got stuck trying to figure out where this story is going, and how dark/angsty it should be. Still stuck, really. There's a fine line I think to writing this sort of fanfiction, and it's so easy to get carried away or go overboard.

I also got swept up in a side-affair with writing Smash fanfiction. I love Christian Borle...his acting in Smash and pretty much everything he's ever done. It's funny though, the Smash fanfic community is pretty tiny even with two full seasons and reviews/favorites are few and far between in comparison to a single story in the Firefly community with only two chapters! So basically you guys are all awesome.

Anyways, I should stop rambling. Comments and constructive critiques are always welcome, especially so with this chapter as I'm still unsure of where this story is heading (a couple options, to be sure), so please let me know your thoughts!

Those who review/message me with ideas will more than likely influence the direction of the story – particularly on the pairing. Simon with Jayne or Mal? Or both? (for you threesome shippers). It'll really affect how I write the next chapter, so I'd love input. The chapter is intentionally short because I'm still deciding how things will go, but depending on the speed of input and inspiration, I hope to have the next chapter out in a couple weeks max.

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Chapter 3

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Simon collapsed on his bed, exhausted. After returning to the ship, he had managed to catch River in one of her better states of cognizance, and successfully injected her meds with little fuss for the evening before settling her down with some simple art supplies they had picked up some time ago.

The crew had returned irritated after a small scrap had broke out at the location for their meeting, delaying their job and leaving Jayne with a nasty cut on his arm. Simon had stitched it up and applied a simple topical pain reliever, but Jayne had shoved the medi-tray over and pushed Simon back against the counter after he refused to give him a stronger dose for the pain, wanting to save it in case worse trouble arose later on. It resulted in some more delicate medical supplies being ruined, which meant more things to replace, leaving Simon in near tears due to Jayne's actions.

He cleaned up after Jayne left and returned to his room, concern over facing Mal with news of the most recent setback quelling any appetite for the mushy protein that was their staple diet. He was sure Mal would only place blame on him, and try and add it to damages Simon already owed. Instead he reached out to grab the pad with his notes on River's medication, intent on finding a solution to her complex psychosis symptoms.

Simon fell asleep in the midst of reading late into the night and woke up groggily the next morning to the stomping of boots and roar of the engine as the crew readied the mule for the day. He moved about dressing quietly, thinking carefully about his own approach to his plans before going into the kitchen. Inara sat at the table sipping tea while Shepard Book looked to be preparing his morning meal. He paused just before the table, hesitating for a brief moment before speaking.

"Inara. I was wondering if...perhaps...would you be able to look after River for the day? I need to pick up medical supplies from a contact today, and can't bring her with me."

Inara looked at him with a raised brow. "The entire day? Surely picking up medical supplies can't take that long. I have meetings to arrange with clients for tomorrow..."

Simon tried to quickly think of an excuse for the length of time he'd need for his "simple errand", but Shepard Book stepped in before he could blurt out a reason.

"I'll look after her. You go and do as needed, son."

Relieved, Simon nodded, surprised at the preacher's offer after the comments he had made just a day earlier. "Thank you, I'll try to return as quickly as possible." he promised.

Setting out, he began backtracking his steps from the day before. The shadier part of Persephone was a complex maze, filled with dark passageways and cluttered buildings piled on top of one another with no logical order or structure. If he wasn't careful, he could land himself into trouble if he accidentally wandered into the wrong area within the black-out zone.

Although he doubted Mal cared about his personal well-being (at all), he did care about his ship, and any risks Simon took that ended in failure might be traced back to the firefly-class vessel which would ensure the wrath of the already furious captain. For whatever reasons, River loved the dilapidated ship, and while his own relationships with its crew were strained at best, it was the only place he knew was safe for him and his sister.

Simon kept a careful eye out for men stumbling home after a night at the brothel. There were quite a few in the area, he suspected, and sure enough he spotted a nondescript building where men emerged groggy and hung-over, most likely with wallets emptied from the night's entertainment. It wasn't the same one he'd seen the night before, but it'd do.

He approached the building nervously, trying to gather his courage. Looking to make sure no one was watching, he knocked on the door. After no response, he turned frustrated back towards the street only to hear the click of a gun-lock being pulled back behind his head.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note v II: Alright, alright, I lied – Real Life has been forcing me to cut back on my writing, so thanks to all of you who are still following this! I will try my hardest to ensure that the next chapter will be done by the end of November – I've already started it, and the creative juices are there, it just needs time to get penned out. This chapter has turned into kind of a connecting arc between events...so for those interested in more Simon angst or action with the rest of the crew (Mal especially), fear not, the next chapter will contain plenty!

I also have an idea for a second Mal/Simon story (also quite torturous and angsty for our poor Simon, alas...) that will eventually start up once I'm mostly done with this. I don't know if it'll be adapted as part of a sequel or if it'll be an entirely separate story, but keep your eyes peeled around Christmas time for an initial chapter if things go smoothly, or closer to January if things don't.

I'm impressed by the number who are following or have favorited this story – I hope it doesn't disappoint! I appreciate each and every favorite, follow or comment; it means a lot to me! Constructive criticism or positive feedback always welcome (flames will be used to roast marshmallows...).

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Beginning of Chapter 4

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"Unless you got some hefty coin, pretty boy, I'd be considering taking leave of this establishment until nightfall. We're closed until then." A rough voice grunted behind him.

Simon turns slowly with hands raised cautiously in front of him.

"I'm not here for your...services, I just want to speak to whoever is in charge..."

The man looks at him warily, sniffing as he looks him over.

"You're a bit small for a lawman..."

"I'm not a cop, just a doctor...I have a proposition for your boss, if he'll hear me out, something that could raise your business two-fold. Now are you going to make me just stand here or can I come in before the next alliance patrol wanders by and sees you pointing a gun at my face?"

The man clicks the safety back on and holsters his weapon.

"Don't know what a doc like you is doing out here but your...proposition...better be on the level. Boss don't take too kindly to being disturbed for weak tea, and then I might have'ta shoot you anyways."

He jerks his head, signaling Simon to follow him. As the door closes behind Simon says a quick prayer, hoping that he isn't getting himself into deeper trouble than he is already.

The main room is dark with natural light streaming in through cracks in the and small hazy windows. A few scantily clad women lounge across couches, either lounging drowsily or eating their morning meal. Their eyes follow the two men as they slip down a hallway into the back, away from the main rooms.

The man knocks on a door, leaning against it as he barks "Boss, got a man here claiming to have a business proposition – should I let him in or send him on his merry way?"

Simon stares at the man in alarm at his statement but to his relief they hear a gruff voice respond.

"Come in, this better be good."

The room is cluttered with papers and boxes, a tattered lounge couch shoved into a corner and a heavy wooden desk in the back of the small room. An older heavyset man sits at the desk, boots propped up on the lip as he leans back, arms folded and bushy eyebrows close to merging as he frowned at his bouncer and the stranger following up behind him.

At the sight of Simon he harrumphs to himself, thick mustache twitching. "You've got a pretty face, boy, but unless you have some impressive talents, we ain't got room for another man whore."

Simon's face flushes. "I'm NOT a...I'm a doctor, not a prostitute. I have a business proposition for you, something that could help you double the profits you currently make."

The man raises an eyebrow at this, lifting his feet off the desk and picking out a cigar as he settles himself.

"What's a doctor like you got to offer a place like this? Shouldn't you be working at some core hospital out with all them other rich folk?" He says as he examines a cigar, twirling it in his fingers.

"Ah, no, I'm a doctor on a transport ship...We're docked here on Persephone for a while, and I currently posses some important credentials that could perhaps be used to gain certain certificates of health for your...workers." Simon reaches into the bag he carried and offered his padd to the man, who grunting lifted himself up enough to take it and sat back down heavily into his chair.

Before Simon had orchestrated his and River's escape, he had managed to set up fake physician credentials, not enough to pass inspection if they looked into the records, but at least would pass unnoticed on forged documents such as simple forged health records unless anyone processed the fake name itself.

He continued as the man looked at the forms. "I'll be blunt. The records won't pass inspection if by chance the name was run through a alliance database, but to general inspectors who only look at the form credentials, it should be more than adequate. Having these sorts of records will allow you to charge double what you do now or move this...fine establishment...into better territory, as I suspect you don't have access to specialized care like this, not when your business operates in the blackout zone. I do require to look over all your workers for a basic check-up so that the information passes a general glance over...and if you do have any men or women who do need additional treatment, I'll be willing to do that as well...if you agree provide all the supplies."

The man looks up, skeptical. "Doc like you in a place like this, don't make sense unless something went badly for you...or because of you."

Simon sighed. "Something may have gone badly, but I'm not the cause. I may be just a transport ship doctor now, but you won't find a better offer unless you went to an Alliance run hospital – I used to work as a surgeon, top of my class."

"...hmph, well...you sound honest enough. The girls probably won't need much of a surgeon, though – got a couple pregnant when their implants malfunctioned, and a boy of mine got into a scuffle with a client the other day, but that's 'bout it. What's your take in all this?"

Simon cleared his throat. "A small fee per person I hope sounds reasonable, and out of the requested supplies if anyone does need more intensive care, any of it that's left over once I'm done."

The man looks at him intensely, and Simon gulps internally as he is inspected, trying to hold his gaze steady.

"Deal. You get this work done," he says, tapping the paperwork "let me know if you need any additional supplies by the end of the afternoon, we'll have it ready and you can get the rest of the work done tomorrow. Half at the end of today, the rest when you finish. Dong ma?"

Simon nods, hiding his relief behind a calm expression, but just barely. "That sounds acceptable. You have a deal."

He waves a hand to his guard. "Dar, get the girls sorted out, he can check them over in the parlor...what's your name, boy?"

"I..." he pauses, catching himself. "You can call me Welson, although I'd prefer doctor."

The man puffs his cigar, looking at him with a raised brow. "Fine then, doc. Get on, we open in five hours – I'd like to have most of the girls done by then. Dar'll show you to the parlor."

As the newly named guard leads him back out into the hallway, Simon lets out a deep breath. A small spark of hope flares up in him. He could do this. The wages from trading his medical resources wouldn't cover the entire sum he needed, but it'd be a big chunk, enough to replace at least half of the supplies.

Four girls in, he sat back with a sigh of relief, finishing his notation in the padd. He smiled at the woman who must've been around the same age as Zoe. "All done, ma'am, thank you." She nodded, getting up and giving him a small wink as she sauntered out. He blushed. Dar had introduced him to the women in the lounge, he'd been met with raised brows over his looks and flirtatious teasing.

"If I hadn't seen you examine the other gals, I'd bet credits that a boy like you'se was lying about being old enough to be a doc." Dar commented from the doorway, startling Simon.

He looked up to the man. "I was...younger than many of my peers at MedAcad. Admissions age is twenty one, after general unicad is completed...however I was admitted due to special circumstances at age seventeen." he found himself admitting. It surprised him how easily the admission slipped out. When Kaylee had been shot and Simon had found himself in front of the initially hostile crew of Serenity, he had described himself as "gifted". But he had never actually told any of them about how gifted he had been. With River as a sister, his accomplishments felt...unimportant. And when no one had bothered to ask in further detail his history or his age, he realized that he had never extrapolated. The crew...really knew nothing about him. But they still judged him for his core breeding. His chest tightened...

"Somethin' on your mind, doc?" Again, Simon was drawn from his thoughts. He shook his head and set the padd down on the small table beside him, trying to focus.

Simon looked back up at the rough looking bodyguard, a question suddenly popping up in his brain. "No...just...I've spent the past two days in the outskirts. It's not an easy life, but this brothel seems to be doing quite well. The women are all much healthier than I'd expect from this line of work."

The man caught his unasked question. "Boss is a good thinker. Gotta keep your stock healthy if you want to get the most profit." He states simply. "Core-bred folk know this spot, like that it's hidden from most ordinary people wandering the streets around here."

Simon nodded. "It shows."

"Ready for the next girl? Sharron's few months pregnant."

Simon nods again. "Send her in, please."

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By dusk he's seen to most of the women and two of the men, a few with the common virulent sexual diseases and one with minor bruises from a drunken customer a few days before who had gotten himself banned after trying to strike at the girl. The man who had stepped in to stop him had gotten a broken nose, but it had been set by Dar (who apparently had seen many broken noses) and was on its way to healing properly.

Unfortunately the second of the two pregnant women would need minor surgery to remove the implant that had malfunctioned. It could be done without harming the fetus, but he would have to come back the next day when he could provide a hand sonigram (carefully borrowed from the ship's infirmary) and the brothel could spare a room to be adequately sanitized for his use. It was time to return to the ship and give River her next round of meds, however, so he consoled himself with the credits he had just pocketed. With the rest of them the next day, he'd be able to purchase most of the supplies he needed.

As he slipped from the outskirts into the alleyways along the edge of the blackout zone, he shivered. Similar to his home planet of Osiris, Persephone simulated earth-that-was's atmosphere and climate as closely as could be engineered, and that included seasons. While still technically fall, the night temperatures tended to drop rather steeply.

He approaches the end of the alley. A flash of steel catches the edge of his vision and instinct keeps him from stepping out. An Alliance patrol unit stood not five yards away...realistically they wouldn't have stopped him, but in Simon's mind a sense of fear and panic began to rise. He considered the situation...even acting as if everything was normal, he didn't want to take the chance that some young officer had been reading bulletin postings and would recognize his face. Since they didn't seem to be interested in moving, he'd have to cut in further into the blackout zone and cut around the unit.

Simon slunk back into the dark of the alleyway. He had seen another path that looked like it would take him where he needed to go with just a short distance back along his route. Walking quickly down the new street, he noticed what he thought might be another brothel, making a note of it. The first brothel had worked out well enough that if needed he'd try it again. Coming upon the alley that would take him back to his original intended street, he stepped around the corner. The hairs on the back of his neck rose all of a sudden. There was a man leaning against the wall on the far side of the alley.


	5. Chapter 5

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So I feel like the past few months have been comparable to the children's book "A Series of Unfortunate Events", including yesterday when I was involved in a car accident that wound up with the other driver t-boning my car. Luckily not on the driver's side, nor was anyone seriously hurt, but it certainly made it more difficult to post the updated version of this chapter as I spent the majority of friday evening dealing with all of it. I can happily tell anyone following this that the next chapter will be coming much sooner, since I took off a chunk from chapter 5 to be re-edited and inserted into a much longer and already drafted chapter 6. It just needs some editing and it should be up in the next two weeks! *fingers crossed*.

I appreciate the gradually increasing follower base - I would also love constructive input as I take it seriously and it can affect where and how this story will unfold :)

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Chapter 5

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His pace slowed. The darkness hid any details of his face, but Simon could feel the man's eyes on him. It was too late to turn back now, his initial speed turning into the alley meant that he was already a third of the way through, and to turn his back on the man not knowing if he could find another route...no. Hopefully he was just being paranoid; he would take his chances and keep walking. As he continued to move forward, his body unconsciously took on a huddled, defensive stance.

The man, who had first looked at him when he had rounded the corner, had shifted his gaze to look down towards the other end of the alley. Feeling a bit more confident knowing his presence wasn't the focus of the man's attention, he walked a little faster. As he walked closer, he was so focused on trying to see what the man looked like that it was too late for him to notice the presence behind him.

Pain erupted in the back of his head as a blunt object hit him from behind. Seeing stars, Simon cried out, dropping to his knees just a few feet away from the first man, who spat on the ground before drawing out a knife.

"Look at what we have here..." the man drawled with a malicious grin.

"You bastard son of a—" Simon wasn't given the chance to finish his sentence as the second man behind him grabbed his hair and shoulder, throwing him up against the alley wall. He saw stars for a second time and dropped to the ground. Seconds later a whooshing sound brought a heavy boot crashing into his side. A sickening crunch told him that he may have broken ribs as multiple boots began to kick at his prone form. He wheezed as they dragged him by a leg and arm to the middle of the alley, and began rooting around to find his pockets, thinking that he was no longer a threat.

With a surge of adrenaline he jammed an elbow at one of the men, catching them with a hard hit to the face as he kicked a leg out and got the second between the legs. That man dropped. The other swore furiously with a hand raised up to a broken and bleeding nose. He hadn't dropped the knife, however, and raised it up to slash down at their prey-gone-awry.

A large fist caught hold of the thief's wrist.

Suddenly the man was thrown crashing into a pile of bins and trash to reveal Simon's her—...oh jian ta de gui...

Jayne stomped over towards him then past him. Upon seeing how big their second opponent was, the other man tried to scurry away. Jayne grinned, easily catching up to the hobbled would-be thief and proceeded to beat the snot out of him. There was always a bigger fish, and Jayne was a shark.

Simon gingerly picked himself off the ground, wheezing a bit in pain. He tries to suck in a breath and has to clench his teeth to keep from crying out in pain. Definitely fractured...luckily (aside from what was most likely a board and the wall), they had missed hitting his face, and his clothing while a bit dirty was passable, blood to be passed off as job-related.

"What the **tianxiaode** are you doing getting yourself beat up in the blackout zone?"

Simon starts, not noticing Jayne had walked up to him, grabbing the packs he had dropped to aid the doctor.

He sighed. "I was trying to get back to the ship, but I had to take an alternate route after I saw an alliance patrol."

"Hmph. S'why you should have stayed on the gorram ship. Let's go, before you get into any more trouble..."

Jayne pushed forward without a second glance, and Simon followed, trying not to limp.

By the time they made it back to Serenity, Simon was exhausted. The aching pain in his head throbbed fiercely, and he just wanted to lie down. First things first, however. He stumbled into his room after grabbing supplies from the infirmary and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, making quick work of the minor bumps and bruises, then carefully wrapping his ribs until he had the chance to examine them more closely.

He was just finishing up when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in" Quickly dropping his shirt back down, he began to pack the supplies back into his kit. The door rolled open to reveal the Shepard, whose brows rose at Simon.

"Are you alright?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, " Simon thought quickly "...just assessing the supplies in my kit. I'll need to replenish some things in the infirmary and thought I'd look at my own as well." That sounded reasonable enough, and the pastor didn't question it further.

"River is with Kaylee and Inara in her shuttle, I thought it best to let you know."

"Ah, thank you."

Shepard watched as Simon got up rather slowly, his mind wondering.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Sooooooooo it's probably occurred to those reading this now that I frequently lie about when I'll be posting the next chapter. As a fellow fanfiction reader, this behavior from writers I follow has always been an extreme annoyance, but coming from the other side it's evident how much real life impacts your drive, creativity, and most importantly the time you have to write. If you catch any grammatical errors, please feel free to let me know - I didn't have much time to look for errors and with no beta things get missed every so often.

I hope you all will forgive my infrequent postings knowing that I will absolutely positively finish this story, because the outline is now officially written out! It may take a while to fill in all the chapters, but because I now have a fully flushed out plotline, it'll be easier for me to write intermittently and still stay on the intended path for poor Simon and co. Concerning the Mal/Simon relationship, which has been decided, it'll be a bit of a slow burn to start...but it'll get going real quick once things start happening.

So thanks to all who are still following and enjoying this story - I'll do my best to make it something worth reading. :)

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"Would you be alright if she stayed with you tomorrow as well? I found doctoring work and will need to go out one more day to finish." Simon said, pausing by Shepard's side in the doorway.

Shepard Book nodded. "That's fine. As I understand things, the crew will look to set things up for the heist during the day tomorrow, and head out that evening."

"I'll have to pick up supplies on my way back then, if this job turns out anything like the last." Simon said with a aggravated sigh.

The pastor gave a small chuckle as he walked back out into the hallway, Simon following. "They do seem to get into quite a few scrapes, don't they?"

Simon shook his head despairingly. "I'm amazed no one has died yet..."

As the older man headed back towards the kitchen, chuckling softly to himself, Simon made his way to the shuttle to find his sister.

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In the cargo bay, Mal and Jayne began to load the mule with supplies for the last part of the job. As he shifted over a particularly heavy box, Mal asked Jayne something that he'd been curious about, his voice even and mild mannered to mask his level of interest.

"What took you so long to get back to the ship?"

Jayne gave a wolf's grin, the memory of his most recent scuffle still sweet. "Doc got into a spot of trouble, spotted him on my way back."

"Trouble?" Mal raised an eyebrow, lips pursed, but Jayne shook his head.

"Couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag, was halfway to getting hisself mugged. Had to go and save his ass."

The captain kept his thoughts regarding Simon's proclivities as a trouble magnet to himself, and spoke impassively.

"He hurt?"

"How should I know? Doc walked out alright enough" the larger man scoffed.

"Hmph." A grunt from Mal as he continued loading.

"Boy needs to watch that pretty face of his, lest it get smashed in permanently...knew he'd be trouble the minute he and that crazy sister of his came aboard." Jayne complained, muscles bulging as he lifted a crate up and over into the floor of the mule, then jumped in after it to tie it down.

Mal said nothing in response as Simon suddenly came out of the hallway, and walked above them towards the shuttle. As Jayne had said, the boy didn't appear to be hurt, although it was hard to tell from down in the hanger floor. The doc was a hard read even up close...Mal had noticed that even after grueling days of hard labor, either Simon's meticulous attention to his appearance or his experience with a doctor's experience in handling long hours kept him from looking run-down.

Not that he'd watched Simon closely. But...Simon tried him to the point of total vexation. Unlike Inara, whom he felt understood the ways of his world despite all her protestations about his life choices, Simon frequently ignored or denied his orders with a mouthy stubbornness that often came off as haughty to the rest of the crew. As for himself, he hadn't written off the boy entirely...yet. He just wanted things simple. For such an smart man, Simon Tam was ignorant of the workings of the outer worlds, and had the pesky tendency to make things more eventful than they should be on Mal's little boat. It was enough to make any man downright irritable.

For now though, there was a mule to load, and mischief to achieve.

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When Simon let himself into the shuttle he heard giggling and sighed before rounding the corner to find the girls seated in front of a mirror. From the looks of it, Inara had been giving Kaylee and River a lesson in whatever feminine beauty products were currently fashionable.

"River, have you eaten yet? It's time for dinner, so I can give you your meds – you can't have them on an empty stomach."

Kaylee was in a good mood. "Aww, Simon, can't it wait just a few minutes? You could join us, if you'd like-" She flashed a hopeful grin in his direction.

River giggled. Simon's headache hadn't yet subsided despite the meds he'd taken, and the incense in Inara's room was overwhelming his senses. His forehead tensed into a frown as he pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed again.

"No, I'd just like to get River settled now so I can-"

A pillow was playfully thrown at his chest. "Come on, don't be a party pooper..." Kaylee pleaded.

Inara spoke up. "We've already eaten, Simon, why don't you sit and have tea with us?"

He shook his head. "Ah, no thanks. River, come here, it'll just take a minute..."

She made a face at him, but walked over and plopped on the bed as he set his kit down, kneeling by the bedside.

Kaylee leaned over and whispered to Inara as Simon efficiently gave River her meds for the night. She and Inara both giggled, and Kaylee picked something up before sauntering over.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit, doc? Those core-bred looks, you'd make a pretty girl..."

He turned unexpectedly at her comment and was sprayed in the face with perfume.

"Hwoon duh-!"

Kaylee gasped. "Simon! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you'd turn-"

Simon got up to his feet, still swearing as his eyes burned from being exposed to a direct hit.

"Here, let me help you wash it out..." Kaylee reached out a hand to grab Simon's arm but he batted it away. "You've helped enough, gorramit...! Why can't you act like an adult for once?" He hissed, blearily opening up his watery eyes as he stumbled out of the shuttle and down the steps, nearly tripping over his own feet. He stomped across the floor of the loading bay towards the infirmary, sneezing and cursing.

Upon exiting, Jayne and Mal look up from their work. Jayne sneered and laughed at Simon as he made his way, half-blind with perfume wafting in his wake. "You seem to have a knack for upsetting folk today doc..." as he walked off with his box of what was most likely weaponry of some sort.

Mal had arms crossed, with raised brows at Simon's cursing. Couldn't take his eyes off that boy for five minutes. He sighed as he saw Kaylee follow hot on Simon's heels.

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Kaylee trailed after him down into the infirmary. "I'm so sorry, Simon, I didn't mean-" she said, placing his kit on one of the counters as he splashed water in his eyes, rinsing them out.

"You don't mean a lot of things, Kaylee..."

"Lemme take a look, I'm sure-" she reached out again and he whirled, smacking her arm out of the way, face wet from the water. "Are you a doctor? It's fine." he snapped, walking to a cabinet to find a clean towel.

"No, but I just-"

"I'm sick of everyone on this hwun-duh de piece of junk ship thinking that they can order me around!" he snarled, fed up.

Kaylee sniffed and stepped back, becoming angry herself. "It was just an accident, you don't have to be such a suei na-jerk about it!"

"With the amount of accidents on this..." he wanted to finish by pointing out that Serenity couldn't afford any more injuries of it's crew, but Kaylee had heard enough slips of his tongue accidentally insulting her beloved ship, and interrupted before he could finish.

"Don't you dare call Serenity junk again." Kaylee interrupted before he could finish, and Simon cursed his sharp tongue. "I wasn't..."

"Just because you were raised on the core, doesn't give you the right to insult us!"

"That's not what I—"

Kaylee stalked out, ignoring Simon's protests. Inara and River stood at the entry way, having caught the end of the conversation, because of course they would. Simon's timing was as horrible as ever.

Inara glared at him. "Not everyone has had your impressive "core bred education", but that doesn't mean you should assume they're stupid or worth any less." she commented icily, then turned to go find Kaylee.

River simply said "Butthead", looking decidedly unimpressed with his foul language, and flounced away to follow the other girls.

Why was he so horrifically bad when it came to communicating? There had to be an explanation... although he knew part of it was due to his past actions, and thus was at least partially his fault. At this rate he'd be lucky Kaylee didn't shoot him out the airlock in his sleep.

He groaned, and leaned to slide down the cabinetry with the rag in his hand, curling up on the floor as he kicked himself mentally. He was just so tired...the meds he'd taken barely begun to dull the throbbing in his skull, and now he felt like he'd taken one step forward in the right direction only to take two steps back in another.

"Doctor."

Simon looked up to see Mal leaning against the entry, arms crossed.

"You'd be smart to think before opening that mouth of yours..."

"It wasn't intentional..." Simon started to explain, but Mal was quick to continue.

"It never seems to be, but that doesn't change the fact that your sharp tongue seems to get the better of you. We may not speak in the same...fancy manner, such as yours, but neither do we insult the person we're trying to apologize to. You see, it doesn't exactly help the situation..."

Simon got up and began putting away his kit, trying to not look at Mal, who continued.

"Now, I don't know what you've been up to, and honestly I don't care. But we can't afford to be rescuing you on top of the job tomorrow, so make sure you don't get into any more trouble, dong ma?" Mal said sternly.

The doctor didn't seem to respond to his words, mechanically moving through supplies in a shelf, his back turned to Mal. This irked the captain, and he barked at the young man again.

"Dong ma?"

Simon finally turned, his own expression as irritated as Mal's. "Yes, you've made yourself perfectly clear, captain, thank you for your concern." he said condescendingly, and started to walk away.

Mal grabbed his arm as he tried to brush by him, angry at the doctor's tone. He pushed Simon up against the opposite door jam. As he did so, Simon clenched his teeth and tried not to cry out at the sharp flare of pain caused by his already aching ribs hitting the narrow column.

The captain didn't seem to notice, too intent on making himself clear.

"Look, boy, you're very close to making yourself mighty unwelcome on this ship. Kaylee understood that you didn't feel about her any more than you do for your sister, and that's shiny. What is not shiny is your inability to shed your core-bred notions and stop snapping at anything you see a threat to you and yours." He shook Simon, who met his gaze timidly. Mal sighed inwardly, the boy sure managed to look like a kicked puppy with that tear-streaked face and deep sea-green eyes.

"You do good work, doc. Now just put that mouth of yours to better use too."

Simon immediately flushed at the unintentional innuendo, looking surprised. Mal drew backwards as well, loosening his grip as he realized just how awkward that phrase had sounded. Mal stepped away from Simon finally, crossing his arms and trying to recover his previous authoritative tone.

"We'll be getting ready to hit up the place Badger wanted tomorrow night. You be ready just in case anything goes wrong, understood?"

Simon nodded softly, looking down, and Mal stared at him for another moment before walking back towards the hold.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note:

Ok, this is a terrible terrible way to end the chapter, so I am VERY sorry, hahaha. It's actually only half of a chapter, but it was starting to get way too long and I had to cut it off and post what I had because it's been forever since I posted a new one! Life is crazy as usual, but your encouraging comments are lovely and I'll do my best not to disappoint! Speaking of, nothing has been edited for grammar yet so I'll go back at some point tomorrow and give it a fresh glance over.

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Chapter 7

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Simon awoke in the early hours after dawn to sharp pains and deep aches, each bruise reminding him how stupid his decisions the night before had been. He looked at the clock and cursed to himself. He would need to hurry if he wanted to avoid the market crowds and get what supplies he could pay for ordered and delivered...and then he'd still need to find one more job in the afternoon to afford the more expensive meds he needed to finish stocking the infirmary. Perhaps even a few new ones to treat his sister.

River wasn't in her room, and so he made his way up to the kitchen, where she and Shepard were eating breakfast. He helped himself to the small amount of extra food the Shepard had prepared, relieved that he didn't have to make anything himself. He was a horrible cook, despite being a genius in medicine.

"Time for your meds, meimei." as she pouted at him. He set his food down on the table next to her and unzipped the bag.

"No...they make things all cloudy and hazy and—" she tried to protest, but Simon interrupted, temper short due to everything that had happened the day before.

"They help take your dreams away, the nightmares, the voices? So you can concentrate and play with Kaylee and Inara-"

"—Not a child, for you to put band aids on! they only help cover the wounds, you know."

Simon sighed. "Meimei..."

"All you want is a gorram doll, just like the rest, want the dancing girl but she's NOT. THERE." River burst out, and childishly swiped at their food, knocking the bowls over. Protein mush scattered across the floor, now inedible.

"River!" He cried out, frustrated. He set aside the syringe and hissed in pain as he got off the chair to kneel and pick up the bowls.

Shepard, who had walked back to the kitchen to clean, noticed Simon's painful posture. "Here, son, sit down and let me clean it up."

Simon, still trying to fight the pain of bending over, simply nodded. His hands trembled slightly as he picked up the meds. "Come on River, please."

She had been sitting arms crossed and pouting, but the tone in his voice made her look at Simon with a penetrating gaze, as if she was trying to see through him. Quickly but gently he took her arm and inserted the syringe.

"Simon-" the drugs acted quickly, and the look of alarm at whatever she had gleaned from him was dulled, although she still looked at him in concern and confusion.

"I'll be fine, meimei, I just want you to be safe."

"Are you alright? You look a mite sore-"

"I'm fine...a misunderstanding the other day...meimei, let's get you settled...Shepherd Book, would you mind taking her to Inara for a bit? I need to head to the infirmary then go and make sure the supplies are delivered before the crew gets back."

The Shepard looked thoughtful as his eyes swept over the younger man before him, but he only nodded and led River away, hand on her back to ensure that she didn't turn back to her brother. Simon gingerly stood back up as they left. He leaned hard against the chair to push himself back up without putting pressure on tender ribs and headed back to the infirmary.

As he sorted and set aside his supplies for the day, he didn't hear the preacher approach behind him.

"So..."

Simon jumped, startled. For an older man, Shepard Book could move as silently as a cat. However, he had already felt enough like a mouse over the past few days, so he reached for his courage and put on a mild expression as he turned.

"Shepard Book, is there something I can do for you?"

The preacher shook his head. "Seems like you've been running on your own since we've landed on Boros, if anything I should be asking you if you're in need of any assistance."

He stared levelly at Simon, holding his gaze. Looking for any emotional reaction from the young doctor. Better prepared, he met it steadily. Inara and the shepard weren't the only ones trained to wear a mask. His was marked with core-bred politeness. "You've been a blessing already, shepherd. I can't thank you enough for helping with River."

"Well that's very kind of you son. It's not anyone who would work so hard to care for a sibling, giving up everything to ensure their health and safety..."

Simon nodded, a faint blush tinging his pale cheeks at his words. That blush instantly vanished when the shepard continued, as blunt as ever.

"...I am a mite concerned at how far one might go to accomplish those things, however."

Pink tinged skin turned white. Simon pursed his lips, trying to regain composure after letting his guard down at the initial compliment. He should have known...

"Unnecessarily so, considering you're currently walking around with broken ribs. The captain wouldn't—"

"The CAPTAIN was the one who threatened to throw River and I off this ship if I didn't restock the infirmary." Simon barked out in frustration. He couldn't believe this. What right did Shepard have to even bring the captain into this when he was the one demanding that Simon replace medical supplies when he had no money?

Shepard Book lifted a brow at Simon's tone, clearly surprised at his vehemence. "The captain...He may say some things in the heat of the moment, but he wouldn't want you to get medical supplies at the expense of your own health." He said, trying to pacify Simon's rising irritation. "If you would like, I could help you, perhaps speak with him-"

Simon brushed off his words. "The captain doesn't care for anyone who's not part of his crew. He's made that VERY clear, so I will do whatever is necessary to make sure we stay away from the Alliance. This ship is the safest place we have. And...River...she loves this ship." Simon looked down, not speaking his true thoughts. Of things that were highly unlikely to ever be. It didn't matter though. This ship, despite his own problems with certain crew members was safe. A haven. He wouldn't let the Alliance get another opportunity to torture them.

Shepard Book sighed internally. He knew the boy tried his best to fit in, but his core breeding had molded him into an unreadable figure to those who'd grown up on the outer planets. "I still don't think the captain..."

"Doctor?" Mal suddenly stuck his head in the infirmary, interrupting their conversation. Simon didn't know if that was a good or bad thing at this point.

"Ah, captain." Simon clammed up, face going blank. "One moment. Shepard, so I can count on you to give River her evening meds if I'm running late this evening?" Simon picked up River's medical box beside him and held it out to the preacher. He didn't want to get into verbal warfare with both men at the same time. Hopefully the preacher would let things be.

To his relief, the shepard nodded, and took the small box. "You just think on what I've said, son. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you." Shepard Book nodded to the both of them then took his leave.

Mal raised an eyebrow at Simon. "Not thinking of being off ship this evening are you, doc? As I told you, best be here, in case things go south on this job and we need to move fast."

"If you want this infirmary stocked, captain, I'll need to go out to buy the proper supplies. I don't anticipate being back late..."

The captain nods, giving him a stern look. "See that you don't." He turned from the doorway and disappeared. Simon sighed as he heard the captain's footsteps thump up the stairs. Time to head out, he'd wasted enough time already.

At the top of the stairs, Mal looked up only to jump. Shepard Book stood in front of him, with an odd look on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Gah, literary inconsistencies. One of the unfortunate problems a writer faces when writing off and on over time. I caught a bit of dialogue between chapters six and seven that didn't make any sense – something I'll fix later, but for now...on with the new chapter! Extremely belated (and not as long as I'd prefer) while I got bogged down by some health issues. Hopefully the new meds will start reducing symptoms in a couple weeks, so I can have more energy (and write more chapters)! For all those still following, this chapter will be the last smooth sailing Simon and the rest of the crew will see for a while...mwahahaha...

I don't have a beta, so no complaints about grammar/other technical errors, I'll get to them eventually!

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Chapter 8

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"Preacher! Liou coe shway duh biao-tze, you gotta make some noise or something and warn a man."

"Captain." Shepard Book uncrossed his arms to fold them innocently in front of him, hands clasped. "I wanted to share with you some concerns I had about our young doctor."

Mal huffed, shaking his head and pushed past the preacher. "Ain't got time for this, shepard. The boy is fine, anyhow. Aside from a mighty need to shed some light on that lily white skin of his, he looked the picture of health down there."

"I don't believe he is. And I don't believe you're treating him very fairly..."

"Well treating him fair will have to wait." He swung up into the galley to cut across to the cockpit. "There's business to be done, and if any of you want to keep your place on this boat our business is the only business that matters."

Mal dismissed the sudden feelings of unease at his easy dismissal of the boy...there was work to be done.

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Simon found his way back to the brothel much faster than the day before, even after stopping by the market to arrange for the new supplies. The shop owner had agreed to let him order a fair amount with the money he'd made so far, as long as he had the remaining cash on delivery to the ship. It wouldn't replace everything, but it'd be more than enough to keep the infirmary running and Mal from noticing any deficiencies if he was careful.

Dar had let out a grunt in greeting but offered nothing else; the doctor assumed he'd probably been napping whilst waiting to let him in. They'd cleared the room he'd used the day before and it smelled strongly of disinfectant.

'Good.' Simon thought to himself in mild relief and satisfaction. It still wouldn't be as safe as performing the operation in a clinically sanitized environment...even the infirmary on Serenity was vastly preferable, but the surgery itself was low risk. Working quickly by himself he could reduce the chance of any surgical infection. He had made a lot of poor decisions in recent months, but Simon would be damned if any harm would befall a patient he treated.

"Need anything else doc? Elly cleaned the room up good, she used to work as a maid afore she started here." Dar was still right behind Simon, and he flinched.

He forced himself to relax. He knew he shouldn't let his guard down completely, not with his sister's safety at sake, but the brothel owner and his second in command seemed...trustworthy. Even if their business wasn't exactly in line with his own sensibilities. He'd survived the blackout zone dealings to get River and himself away from the Alliance into hiding by relying on his intellect and by trusting his gut. And these people...as long as he did his job, he knew that the owner would keep his end of the bargain. The fact that he was letting this woman keep her unborn child, instead of forcing her to abort which would have been a much faster procedure spoke volumes. When he'd originally conferred with the man, he'd simply harrumphed to himself, tapping his cigar into an ash tray and said "Long as the surgery don't cost more to keep the kid and she's willing, I don't care. Whatever the girl wants done, do it."

He'd left Simon rather shocked. Even though the girl hadn't seemed worried when he'd gone off to talk with the owner, the doctor had assumed he'd have to argue his case. Apparently this man was an oddity, defying his original assumptions and previous experiences with the sort of people who resided in the areas the Alliance banned. Another man he knew also defied his expectations, but at the moment, the results of which were anything but pleasant. He gritted his teeth internally at the sudden flare of anger that rose up when he recalled Mal's ultimatum. He wanted so desperately to quell the pain and confusion River felt every day and find out what the Alliance did to her. But in this case, if he didn't replace the supplies the crew needed and used on a terrifyingly regular basis, Mal would kick them off the ship, leaving them an open target for anyone willing to turn them into the Alliance. If that happened, he'd lose River forever. A small, cruel voice whispered his doubts in the back of his mind. And what if, after all this the captain decides River is too much of a risk and your services are not worth the effort it takes to keep her from harming herself or the crew? What would he do if he knew the things you suspect the Alliance has been doing to River? What if she got worse, what if he couldn't help her?

Simon closed his eyes, composing himself and refocusing on the task ahead. He had a job to do, and this was hardly a sacrifice when it kept them flying, even temporarily.

"It looks more than adequate, thank you. Please send her in, and I'll get started."

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"So how's this suppose to play out exactly? We just sidle up and ask them guards up front politely for them to step aside?" Jayne spat, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You don't do anything. Leave the asking to me and Zoe." Mal snapped, irritated. He had a masterful plan, one that was far above and beyond Jayne's intellect. Or at least, he hoped it would be. Otherwise Badger would be none too pleased about it. The planned heist required them to disable heavily armed guards at a high class storage complex, using several machines they'd already managed to "borrow" the day before so that they could then break in through a weak point in the back of the unit. Simple, and much more effective than dealing with the door alarms. As long as they could distract or disable the security, things should go smooth. Mal hoped the information Badger had given them was good. The little rodent had a tendency to leave out important little details when he asked for Mal's help, leaving the ingenious captain and his crew to fend for himself. It would be just his luck that things wouldn't go smooth...

"Let's go." He growled to Jayne and Zoe in the mule, and Zoe put the vehicle into full throttle.


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